A visit to the Mormon Battalion Historic Site is an absolute must for your trip to San Diego, California. After a whirlwind week of amusement parks, I know that my family is ready to move at a slower pace, but still have fun and be entertained.

The interpretive and interactive center commemorates what happened with the Mormon Battalion during the Mexican-American War. The visitors center was extensively renovated in 2010 including the addition of new technological enhancements that your kids will love. My mom had been to an early version of the center in the 1990s and she was beyond impressed with the updates!

Everyone from Grandma to my 7 year old son enjoyed the high-tech step back in time. There’s just enough entertainment value for your kids to not even realize that they are learning about history.

Volunteers dressed in period clothing take you from room to room or rather experience to experience! If your kids like the moving pictures in Harry Potter, they are going to like this exhibit! The characters in the pictures guide you through what life was like for several hundred Mormon volunteers who marched from Council Bluffs, Iowa, to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and then on to California for a one-year United States Army enlistment. You get to hear the perspectives and stories from men, women, and children in the camp.

One of my favorite parts of the center was being able to discover our connections to the Mormon Battalion. We didn’t have any direct relations, but it was cool to discover some distant cousins like Lyman Stevens!

My kids love seeing how they are connected! It makes the experience come to life a little more for them.

At the revamped center, you can pan for gold, make bricks and wear replica period clothing. Authentic artifacts are on display, including muskets, bricks from the foundation of the Old Town courthouse and a cannon that the battalion rolled across the United States.

I loved that we ended our visit with time in the tower. The views were incredible!

The tower has binoculars and a map showing Old Town San Diego

I hope that this updated visitor’s center is taste of what all the similar centers will soon be. It reminded me some of the fun features at the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City. We can’t wait to visit more historical sites!

What other historical museums and centers should be on our bucket list? What ones have you been to that you have enjoyed?

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Sometimes family history discoveries are even better than we can plan. At least that’s what happened last summer on our genealogy road trip!

Halfway between our home and St George is Fillmore, Utah. Home to not only Utah’s first state capital, but also to many of my Ashby, Cropper, Rogers, and Land ancestors. What was once a quick, gas station rest stop became a family history destination when I discovered our family ties to this interesting town.

I’d had my eye on the Territorial Statehouse Museum ever since seeing the billboard advertisements on  I-15.  Since we were heading South to St George/Disneyland, I thought it would be a perfect stop for us to stretch our legs and learn a little history. I checked the Family Search  Map My Ancestor feature on the app and discovered that several of my ancestors had lived and died there. Even cooler! And when we stepped inside, the museum did not disappoint!

While admiring the grand building plans for the first state capitol, I talked with the museum worker about the museum’s hall of ancestors. As I was telling him of my hope that I’d find our own ancestors there, a familiar face caught my eye.  The photos are in alphabetical order so my Ashby family was the first photo I saw.

Coming face to face with my ancestors in their home town was stirring. Did they walk these halls? Each exhibit in the museum took on added meaning as we pictured our  family in the town of Fillmore. The woman in the photo below is my 4th Great-Grandmother – Hannah Jones Rogers. She came to America from Worcestershire, England when she was 13 years old. I didn’t recall much of her story so she was moved up my list of people to research when we got home. I came across this blog through a source on Family Search. Come to find out – her spinning wheel and bake skillet are in the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers exhibit at the Museum.  I had viewed my family’s possessions without even knowing it!

Being inspired to learn more about Hannah reminded me of how grateful I am to know so much about her grand-daughter and my great-grandmother – Hannah Cropper Ashby. From an article posted on Family Search, I knew that Hannah was an accomplished woman. While being Mother of the Year for Utah in 1960, she was also a member of the Utah County Legislative Women’s Council for 10 years, precinct co-chairwoman for the Republic party in her area, chairman of the American citizenship for the Utah Federation of Women’s Republican Club, and many other literary and local positions.  

Was it her time in this historic city that inspired her patriotic roots? Hannah was born in 1879 in Fillmore. Her mother Hannah Lucretia was also born in Fillmore in 1858 during the time that Fillmore was the capital city. I am grateful for these three generations of Hannah’s and their dedication during the early year’s of Utah’s statehood! What a treat to walk through the Statehouse Museum and get a peek into what their lives may have been like!

Visiting the Fillmore Cemetery

We also used the Map My Ancestors feature to find that several of our ancestors were buried in the Fillmore Cemetery. I downloaded the Find a Grave app to help us find a more precise location in the cemetery.

My kids are excellent at locating the grave sites based on pictures! We found them in no time. While we were at the cemetery, we fulfilled two photo requests as well. Find a Grave allows you to take pictures and upload them to their site for others to view. Easy service project to do with kids!

We loved our brief visit to Fillmore, a town we hadn’t given a second glance to from the freeway on previous trips! The Map My Ancestor feature of the Family Tree app helped us to connect to our ancestors in a new and fun way. Our visit was the perfect mix of connection and discovery. I understand and know these ancestors just that much more now!

We are eagerly planning more family history day trips in Utah – Brigham City, Price, Huntsville – to name a few! What place from your family history would you love to visit?

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Cherry Hill is a favorite family tradition that has lasted 40+ years. What’s the secret sauce to getting 100+ people together every year? Maybe it’s the delicious slices of pie on Saturday night, maybe it’s the races down Cardiac Canyon, or maybe it’s the campsite games and conversations. Whatever the reason, I am grateful to grandparents who have gathered us to together at Cherry Hill since I was a baby. And now I take my own babies!

This family-friendly place is nestled in Davis County. It’s grown from a campground with a pool to include a water park, rock wall, mini golf course, and more.

Seriously acres of activities to explore. I promise you will want to stay for more than a day. It seems to get better and better every year. I was content picking cherries there when I was a kiddo and playing tag on the playground.  Now there is so much to do, you may want a season pass to enjoy it all! 

Typically it’s tradition for us to close out our summer at Cherry Hill, but I’m thinking we need to sneak in another weekend in July! There’s brand new slides to check out and my kids are begging to go!

Cherry Hill is celebrating 50 years of being family owned and operated. To celebrate 50 years, they are giving away over $20,000 in prizes including Megaplex tickets, Lifetime products, ski passes, and much more every day of the 2017 summer season. Check out their website and follow them on Facebook for more information and to see a calendar of events.

Have you been to Cherry Hill?

What is your favorite part?

What are your favorite family traditions?

I’ve partnered with Cherry Hill and US Family Guide to let you know about their 50th Anniversary Celebration. All opinions are my own and I love sharing this fun, family tradition! 

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We’re soaking up every last second of summer before the kids go back to school. This weekend we crossed off one item on our bucket list – a family date night for frozen yogurt! As an added bonus, we snapped an instagram picture so we could enter the #OREOSummerSweepstakes!

It was our first time trying Just the Creme and Just the Cookie frozen yogurt – and it did not disappoint! Our love of OREO cookies goes back generations. Oreo cookies are my Dad’s favorite treat – he gets them for every Father’s Day, birthday, and Christmas! So you better believe we swirled Just the Creme and Just the Cookie together to make a delicious frozen yogurt Oreo Cookie. For good measure we sprinkled more OREO cookie pieces on top.

Now for the fun part, you have two chances to win today! First, you can enter to win the #OREOSummerSweepstakes by sharing a picture of yourself enjoying an OREO treat at any restaurant. It can be a beverage, ice cream cake – you name it! Be sure to use the hashtag and tag it with @OREO. By doing this you will have a chance to win your choice of one of 7 Wonderfilled Adventures in the OREO Summer of Wonder promotion. Adventure choices include Grand Canyon Tour, New York City Landmarks, Rocky Mountain Ski Trip, California Redwood Tour, Iconic Food Festival, Cruise to Alaska, or Las Vegas Getaway.

The next chance to win is to guess where my family is enjoying our OREO frozen yogurt treats! Enter in the widget below so you can have a chance to win a $25 VISA gift card – think of the OREO treats you can buy with that!

OREO + Keep Moving Forward With Me

Which restaurant are you headed to for your OREO treat?

What is left on your summer bucket list?

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Staying at the Zermatt in Midway has been on my bucket list for ages! I’ve been through Midway and Heber dozens of times for the ice castles, Swiss Days, and on my way to Park City. Last fall we decided to staycation on a budget and found some incredible and inexpensive things to do in Midway, Utah. We even snuck in a stay at the Zermatt!

When I plan a vacation for my family, I like to pack as much fun and adventure into a weekend as I can. We love exploring the outdoors and Midway is the perfect place to do that. Here are some of our favorite things to do in Midway, Utah.

1. Family fun at the Zermatt Resort

We loved staying at the Zermatt Resort (and highly recommend it). The grounds and activities are open to visitors passing through as well. When you stay at the resort, a carousel ride for the children comes with your accommodations. If you are just visiting the grounds, you can purchase tokens for a small amount at the front desk. Be sure to pick up the goat food for only a $1 as well. My kids loved visiting and feeding the pygmy goats at Zermatt Resort. Stop at their gift shop and bakery for yummy pastries and the perfect little lunch packs for picnics and hikes!

2. The Fairy Forest on Mirror Lake Byway

The Fairy Forest was my daughter’s favorite part of our weekend trip to Midway. Every little girl’s dream! I was amazed at how much land it actually covered! The Fairy Forest is near a campground and is hundreds of little fairy vignettes made by individuals and families. From painted rocks to fairy birdhouses, it’s magical for little ones! Be sure to bring in art supplies for your little one to make their addition! Utah’s Adventure Family has great directions for how to get there. One piece of advice, wear shoes that can get wet. There is water in the creek bed that you have to cross to get there during certain times of the year.

3. Dairy Keen

Dairy Keen has to be one of the top recommended places to eat in Midway! You know, the train place! We eat at Dairy Keen anytime we are in Midway. Most peaceful meals my husband and I ever get because our kids love the train tables. During the warmer months, kids can eat outside on the train. Check out how much fun we had during our February visit!

4. Provo River Falls

This easy hike was about 23.5 miles outside of Kamas on Highway 150. Just look for the signs to Provo River Falls! I took my two oldest on the quick hike with me. The trail was less than a mile with various overlooks to the falls. Simply beautiful!

5. Midway Ice Castles

The Midway Ice Castles were easily our favorite winter activity of last year. My daughter went down the ice slide at least a dozen times and was enamored with meeting the Frozen princesses. You can check out my review here for our favorite tips of how to get the most from your ice castle experience. The ice castles will open in February, but advance tickets are on sale now for 45 percent off! Do yourself a favor and avoid the lines by buying online! These would be a great stocking stuffer.

6. Fall Foliage Drives

There are several beautiful drives in the Midway, Utah, area. Just remember to bring some cash for the National Forest fees. It was $6 for the weekend. There are dozens of picturesque pull offs on the side of the road just like this one. The Mirror Lake Scenic Byway

From Midway, you can also access the Alpine Loop and Cascade Springs – two of our family’s favorites as well! You can see some of our hiking tips for Cascade Springs here.

7. The Crater

The Crater at Homestead Resort has been on my bucket list ever since I saw it on a television episode. It is a geothermal spring in a 55-foot limestone rock beehive-shaped enclosure. You can swim, scuba dive, and even do a paddle-board yoga class in the crater. Reservations are required for the activities, but you can peek in and do a tour of the crater every hour on the half hour for free. Keep small children by the hand. We all loved seeing such a unique natural phenomenon and I can’t wait to go back with my husband to swim!

Also free, is the hike to the top of the crater. The view of Midway is absolutely incredible! We hiked the stairs with the kids and were able to peek down in to the crater (it is safely covered, of course!)

8. Homestead Resort

After you check out the crater, be sure to stop in the gift shop at Homestead Resort for some homemade fudge. The resort has seasonal events all year round that are family friendly. My kids had fun checking out the scarecrows during our visit. In December, you can take a sleigh ride to visit Santa or do a breakfast with Santa – so much fun. Check out the web-site for more details!

We enjoyed walking the grounds and reading the historical markers – some of the buildings are beautiful! Like a step back in time.

I hope you get to visit some of these beautiful places near Midway, Utah! It truly is a beautiful area to visit! If you would like to follow more of my travel adventures (including some uber-helpful Disney tips!) please be sure to follow me on social media!

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Do you have the travel gene? Does your suitcase never quite make it back into storage before your next adventure? If so, you may identify with the travel bloggers we will meet today. Take a look at a day in the life of a travel blogger and see what you discover. From beaches and mountain vistas to skype chats and wobbly wi-fi, the story of a travel blogger fascinates me and I think it will do the same for you.

1. Meet Jessica of Team Wiking.  She is a mama of two with exquisite photography that will have you packing your bags to go wherever she is featuring.

Photo Courtesy of TeamWiking.com

From a romantic rue in Paris to city guides in her home state of California, Jessica’s photo essays and writings have been featured in Apartment Therapy and Design Mom. See what a day in pictures looks like for this blogger and photographer.

2. Next up is a blogger living in my home state. The Utah adventure list for my family just doubled thanks to Michelle from A Local Wander.  From the fun of local splash pads to incredible hikes around the world, so many things from her blog have been added to my bucket list.  Michelle travels with her four children, including her adorable twins.

Photo Courtesy of Alocalwander.com

Find out the one word that she uses to describe their life right now and the blogging hours she shares with Camille from The Six Sisters Stuff (I talked with Camille at the Build Your Blog Conference about how she juggles blog and family. She generally works the same hours as Michelle so head on over to see what those are!)

3. This next blogger is a woman after my own heart. I’m a better early bird than a night owl and so is Jessica of Suitcases and Sippy Cups. This mom travel blogger has been featured on Disney’s Family Fun web-site and had me at 10 Ways to Entertain a Toddler in a Hotel Room. That information is gold for families traveling with children. Her weekly travel tips and worldwide travel guides will convince you that travel with children is completely doable.

Discover her one trick for keeping writer’s block at bay and her favorite quiet place to churn out the blog posts. You may have a similar quiet place in your own home town.

Enjoy the wander lust and let the day dreaming for the next vacation begin. Be sure to check out the rest of my A Day in the Life of a Blogger Series. Yesterday, it was all about the foodies! 

A Day in the Life of a Craft/DIY Blogger

A Day in the Life of a Family Blogger

Who is your favorite craft blogger?

Who are your favorite travel bloggers to follow?

What blogger would like to take a look at behind the scenes?

The post A Day in the Life of a Travel Blogger appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Station Park is Farmington’s hidden gem and I am so excited to give you a little sneak peek into some of my favorite things there. Be sure to enter to win the $300+ prize package from Station Park’s amazing businesses (scroll to the bottom)! If you need a date night with the hubby (hello couples massage!) or you are looking for something fun to do with the kids (ice skating and yummy cobbler!), Station Park is your place.

My first Station Park experience was in November for the dessert restaurant Cobbler Cove’s grand opening. I immediately fell in love with the thousands of twinkle lights, the family friendly activities, and all my dining and entertainment options. I’ve visited several times sense then and it just gets better every time!  I love Station Park so much that I invited 50 Utah bloggers and Instagrammers to experience it for themselves. Here are the top ten reasons to visit Station Park that I shared with them and that I am now excited to share with you!

1. This cobbler! I have to start with this yummy cobbler as that is how we began our evening at Station Park.  Check out the #cobblercove and #stationpark on Instagram to see all the fun we had and their reviews of Cobbler Cove! My favorite is the chocolate cobbler with mixed berries topped with Farr’s vanilla ice cream and an oat crumble. There are 15 flavors to choose from as well as a myriad of tasty toppings and sauces. Next time I am going to try out the pineapple!

Cobbler Cove is brand new to Station Park and has the coziest dining room complete with a couch in front of a fireplace as well as seating that faces out to the beautiful surroundings of Station Park. One of my favorite things about Cobbler Cove is that they try to use local fruit as much as possible – go local! Be sure to check it out on your next visit to Station Park!

2. The fountains. Think Bellagio in Vegas and Disney fountain shows – just as amazing! You can see them anytime, but there are amazing shows on the hour to the music of Van Halen and Adele. Check out this night-time instagram video of the fountains by Like Mother Like Daughter. You need to see the fountains at day and night for the full effect!

3. The family-friendly amenities. With upscale retail, dining and entertainment, a children’s play area, an outdoor winter skating rink, and a world-class show fountain – there is definitely something for everyone. Station Park expertly combines luxe surroundings with family-friendly amenities. Did you know that there are darling wooden toys for children to play with in the lululemon dressing room? That scores them major mommy points in my book! My daughter gets so bored while I am trying on clothes and I love that lululemon came up with a solution! I am sure that my kids will be making full use of the playground this summer while my husband and I trade off shopping, too.

Photo courtesy of Station Park

4. The restaurants. Station Park boasts over 20 restaurants from casual to fine-dining. One that I am excited to try is ParkStone and they are included in our giveaway! Love the location by the fountains and the beautiful indoor/outdoor seating areas. ParkStone, like Cobbler Cove, likes to spotlight local and fresh ingredients. Looking forward to trying their asparagus fries and the spicy egg and bacon burger – yum! For a review of Parkstone check out The Morrell Tale. The pictures look scrumptious!

Photo courtesy of Station Park

5. The community activities. From free Family First Mondays to free exercise classes at lululemon every Saturday morning, there is something going on at Station Park every week. Family First Mondays are filled with activities, entertainment, and discounts that your kids are going to love. For special event dates, be sure to check out the schedule on Station Park’s web-site.

I love that the classes at lululemon are taught by local exercise experts from places like Dance Factory, Crossfit, and Centered City Yoga. Stop by this Saturday at 8 am and check them out for yourself. You can even get a sneak peak of the classes from the videos on their facebook page.

6. The shopping. With over 45 stores, Station Park is a shopper’s dream! One of my favorite stores there is DownEast Basics. Remember all the darling finds I made with Alicia from Chic on a Shoe String? I love this purse and these pants that I discovered Saturday night. I am excited to go back since their new line launched TODAY! Check out their online and in-store specials!

7. The convenience. You will want to shop, stay, and play at this beautiful shopping and entertainment destination right off of I-15 with easy access to Front Runner. Literally five minutes off the freeway. I live in Utah County and I have already been up to Station Park three times since Thanksgiving – worth the drive! Station Park has their own hotel in the works – it is going to make the perfect staycation! Putting it on my bucket list.

Photo courtesy of Station Park

8. The luxe. I love that Station Park is the complete package – a movie theater, a gym, restaurants, shops, and outdoor entertainment. The beauty of Station Park is that they didn’t stop at convenience, location, and selection. Station Park takes it up a notch to provide you with a luxe shopping experience. One of my new favorite places to walk through at Station Park is the concierge area. Isn’t it beautiful?

And the luxe carries over to the stores. I went gaga over these light fixtures at lululemon and Sanctuary Aveda.

9.  The spa. Speaking of luxe, a trip to Station Park wouldn’t be complete without stopping by Sanctuary Aveda. Can I describe you to my dream day? Shop til I drop in the morning with a lunch at ParkStone (remember that amazing hamburger and appetizer!!!). Next, a deep-tissue massage at Sanctuary Aveda followed by a movie at the Cinemark. Top it off with chocolate raspberry cobbler by the fire and I am set!

One feature of the spa that a fellow blogger and I were loving is the membership service. Typically with a membership service you get a monthly massage. At Sanctuary Aveda, you can select from several services including a facial or pedicure. Fun to mix it up a little!

10. The date nights. Doesn’t every thing I mention sound perfect for date nights? Hello Valentines! Spoil your kids with ice staking and a movie in the early afternoon and then come back for a massage and cobbler by the fire at night. One date night that is on my list this year are the cooking classes at Harmon’s. Love the variety that they offer!

Now, for what you have been waiting for! The giveaway!

Whether you are checking out the latest in fashion at DownEast Basics, dining at the ParkStone wood-fire grill, grabbing groceries at Harmon’s, working out with lululemon on Saturday morning, or having a spa day at Sanctuary Aveda, you are going to want to cap off your fun with fresh-baked cobbler from Station Park’s newest dessert restaurant Cobbler Cove! You are going to want to cozy up by their fireplace and enjoy America’s favorite dessert.

One lucky reader is going to be spoiled with some of our favorite things from Station Park!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I organized an event for bloggers and instagrammers for this post. We received complimentary cobbler and hot chocolate to review. Thank you Station Park and Cobbler Cove!

The post Cobbler Cove and My Station Park + $300 Valentines Giveaway appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Our favorite winter activity is opening this Friday! My kids still talk about the enchanting ice tunnels, slot canyons, ice slide, and glacial waterfalls. The Midway Ice Castles must go on your bucket list this year!

For my tips and tricks of when to go (avoid all the crowds!) and what to take – read this post from last year. My family and I will be heading up there very soon this year so we can give the latest updates!

Here are the details.

WHAT: Acre-sized, all-ice castle in Midway, UT. One of four Ice Castles in America.
WHERE: 2002 Soldier Hollow Rd Midway, UT 84049 USA
WHEN: Opening this Friday at 6 pm!

VISUALS: — Amazing ice features including archways, tunnels, slot canyons, ice slide, caverns, glacial waterfalls and a frozen throne.
— Kids and families squeezing, squishing, sliding, stomping and crawling through parts of the stunning, Narnia-like display.
— Natural frozen ice tones during the day; colorful LED-lit ice set to music at night.

Be sure to follow Ice Castles on Facebook to get the latest updates and even win tickets! Tickets are only available online this year. Get your tickets here.

The post Midway Ice Castles opening on Friday! appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Let it Go. Let it Go! Have you heard that delightful song as much as I have this year? My daughter loves Frozen and so do her cousins! When we went to Walt Disney World, her cousin was lucky enough to score an Anna dress to take to the Bibbidi Boppity Boutique! Isn’t she a darling Anna? Something tells me that these costumes are going to be hot for Halloween this year! Excited to share some Frozen Hair Tutorials at the bottom of this post (skip to them if you just can’t wait) and also let you know about a FABULOUS sale on 8/28 on zulily that you cannot miss if you have a little Elsa or Anna wannabe! But first … these shoes.

Seriously. Adorable.

My sister-in-law and I did some shopping before our big trip to help keep the costs down. One of my favorite places to score deals on Disney merchandise is zulily. I scored this adorable swimsuit and cover-up for under $25! The savings for the Frozen sale are just as amazing – up to 60 percent off! Save those extra pennies for my next Disney vacation! (PS – if you are getting ready to book your 2016 Southern California vacations – check out Get Away Today for amazing deals! Use my special code – KMFWM – to get $10 off your vacation package!)

Let’s get a closer look at the adorableness. I also picked up swimwear for my boys as well from zulily.

Love saving on adorable vacation wear! So here are the details for the zulily Frozen sale TOMORROW (Thursday, August 28). We’ve got 8 weeks until Halloween so it is time to get shopping! Not to mention perfect the goodies from this Frozen sale are perfect for Christmas presents or getting ahead of time for your trips. The sale will have apparel, toys, and gear – everything on your little princesses list! So click on this link and get to shopping! To get you and your little one in the spirit of the sale, zulily has put together some special tutorials on how to create the magical updos and braids of Anna and Elsa. Better get practicing so you have it perfected by the time the dresses arrive!

Happy Braiding!  

Who do your children want to be for Halloween this year?

Are you dressing up? Who are you going to be?

Tell the truth, how much of your Christmas shopping do you have done?

The post Frozen Hair Tutorials + a Frozen Sale! appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

I just got back from a week-long visit to my sister, the lovely Cambria from Live to be Inspired. She moved across the country to Pennsylvania and just had her first beautiful baby girl! I was spoiled with dozens of newborn snuggles – in between making meals and doing tiny, adorable laundry, of course.

On the last day of our visit my sister decided that she was up for a road trip. We made the drive to Gettysburg and had just enough time to see the highlights of the historic city. Here are our top five recommendations if you only have a day or a few hours in this amazing place!

1. David Wills House

Many of the museums close between 4-5 pm, but we were able to spend about 45 minutes at the The David Wills House. This was perfect to help us get our bearings of the city! The Civil War refresher course was definitely needed as well. With several interactive exhibits and short films, it easily kept the attention of my five year old nephew. Plus we were able to get maps and brochures to help us navigate the rest of Gettysburg.

Seeing the room Abraham Lincoln slept in and must have pondered the Gettysburg address in was awe-inspiring. There is something uniquely special about learning history in the places where it actually occurred. I could scarcely imagine the more than 50,000 soldiers descending upon this tiny town, much less losing their lives there. The statistics were astounding and the accounts of brother vs. brother, friend vs. friend where heart-wrenching.

2. Gettysburg National Military Park

My father, the history officiando who we had on speed dial during our trip, highly recommends beginning your visit at the National Park Service and Museum for the Gettysburg National Military Park. We arrived after hours so we were out of luck! But if you do have time, the Gettysburg Cyclorama is an excellent way to see the scope of the battle before going out into the fields.

You could truly spend hours walking the paths, but with evening approaching we spent a few quiet moments on the ridge across from the cemetery admiring the beauty of Gettysburg and feeling humbled by what took place there.

3. The Soldiers National Cemetery 

We crossed the road to the Soldiers National Cemetery – something I definitely did not want to miss as part of our evening in Gettysburg. My sister paused at the entrance with her little boy to talk about silence and respect for the soldiers and what took place there. It was a sweet moment to witness. It is important to teach our children facts and dates, but it is just as vital to teach them the morals and feelings that encompassed such events.

As you walk the paths of the cemetery, you truly get a feeling of treading on hallowed ground. The sacrifice of each man buried there became very apparent and embedded in my heart.

4. The Pub & Restaurant

To round out our visit to Gettysburg, our last stop was dinner. As we poured over restaurant recommendations in the area, we all agreed that we wanted to eat somewhere unique to Gettysburg. Hoping to find a place with a touch of history, we discovered The Pub & Restaurant in Historic Lincoln Square. Right across the street from the David Wells House! Our request to eat out on the patio gave us a perfect view of the history-steeped establishments on the square. Be sure to have quarters on hand for the parking meters around the square.

I love dining family style so we selected several appetizers and a pizza to share. The food was as amazing as the surroundings. The fresh baked Italian bread smothered in cheese and flavored with garlic was a favorite as well as the Southwest egg rolls with an avocado dipping sauce that stole the show. The Caprese pizza was just as much a crowd-pleasure with its fresh spinach, house Bruschetta mix, and mozzarella and Fontina cheeses. Feast your eyes on the ooey-gooey yumminess!

5. Child-Friendly Gettysburg

Our visit to Gettysburg was relatively child friendly. With more time I would do the junior ranger program for children at the Visitors Center. The interactive programs allow the children to experience for themselves what it was like to be a soldier in the Civil War by handling equipment, documents, and uniforms from the era (in a safe and age-appropriate manner, of course!)

While I was at the David Wills House, I picked selected a board book, The Story of Abraham Lincoln for my children’s souvenir. My children are ages 2-7 years old so it was right on their level of reading and understanding. It is available for purchase at the store or you can order it ahead of time to prepare your children for their visit to Gettysburg. My five year old nephew and I talked about Gettysburg in a simplified manner on the ride there and I think that it helped to pique his curiousity.

My evening in Gettysburg was just enough to whet my appetite for a return visit. While I am grateful for the brief time I had to walk the hallowed paths, I am eager to return to places of such historic significance. There is so much we can learn from our past and pass on to our children!

Have you been to Gettysburg?

What is your favorite historical place that you have visited?

What historical place is on your bucket list to visit?

The post What to see in Gettysburg if you only have a day! appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

It has been the summer of road trips for our little family. Lots of family reunions and weddings. With so many little ones,  I like to have lots of tricks up my sleeves in the car. Just you wait – I have a fabulous post coming up soon with all the tricks that have worked for us!

Today I am sharing one of the easiest tips – fun and interactive music. Since our oldest was born we have been building our CD collection. We have everything from lullabyes for nap time to my daughter’s music practice songs.

For our last road trip of the summer, we headed up to Bear Lake and, as luck would have it, I was sent Groove Kid Nation Rhythm Bears to review. Perfect timing! We are all about doing bear-themed activities on our trip to Bear Lake so Rhythm Bears fit in perfectly.

I turned on Rhythm Bears when I could tell the children were getting a little antsy. Rhythm Bears is all about drawing kids into the music with rhythmic call and response games so I knew it would help get their wiggles out. From my six year old to my almost two year old, all three children were clapping, stomping, playing percussion, and vocalizing to the beat. (Shhhh … don’t tell, but my husband got into a couple of the songs, too!) Our favorites were the Train Song, Kalimba, and Teddy Bear Picnic. I adore the children’s voices on the CD – certifiably darling, I tell you.

The style of the music is described as soulful folk hoedown. As a former folk dancer (surprise!), I loved all the different musical instruments introduced including harmonica, fiddle, acoustic guitar, acoustic bass, clarinet, kalimba, ukulele, and even didgeridoo. Each song features a new instrument and fun ways for children to play and sing along.

Kyler loved dancing to the music of Rhythm Bears

Rhythm Bears met our road trip test. We were able to listen to it on repeat for quite awhile without wanting to toss it out the window or hide it from the children. We even forgot to turn it off when the children fell asleep. That means it has my husband’s stamp of approval as well. Love adding fun and educational CDs to our road trip collection.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

What are your favorite road trip CDs?

How do you entertain your little ones in the car?

The post On the road again – road trip music with Groove Kid Nation appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Cascade Springs

I am so excited to be participating in Girl Love Glam’s Summer Fun Series! Be sure to check out all the fun projects and activities at the end of this post!

Hiking is one of our little family’s favorite activities. With three children under the age of five, my husband and I have learned some tips and tricks to make hiking with toddlers and babies fun for everyone.

1. Practice Makes Perfect. 

Before our first hike of the season, we take our little ones out in the backyard or on a walk around the neighborhood for a practice hike. We emphasize the 3 W’s – watch, walk, and wait.

Watch where you are going.

Walk, don’t run.

Wait for family.

I love to give my children the opportunity to run wild in nature, but not on uneven mountain trails! Practicing these three things on walks at home makes the actual hike much easier. We turn the 3 W’s into an easy mantra – watch, walk, wait – so that our children know exactly what to do with just three simple words.

2. Dress for Success

Dress your children assuming that they are going to be dipping their toes in the stream and sitting in the dust/mud to examine insects. Much less stress for everyone when mama doesn’t have to worry about clothes getting stained or good shoes being ruined!

3. Well-equipped with Water

Little bodies get thirsty fast, especially in the sun. We love our Ledge Hydration Pack. Since it is a backpack, it is hands-free and simple enough for all of us to use. As our children get older, we plan to get them their own.

4. Sneak a Snack

A quick snack goes a long way on the trail. My kiddos love GoGo Squeez Applesauce and they are perfect for on the go. Be sure to pack all your litter back out.

5. Stop for Service

Last year we participated in the Governor’s Summer of Service – got to start them young, right? One of the easiest ways for our five-year-old daughter to serve was to pick up litter on the trails. We looped the handle of a plastic grocery bag through my daughter’s belt loop and bought her child-sized gardening gloves to use to pick up the garbage. Lily loved it and thought it was as fun as a treasure hunt. As an added bonus, she and her little brother were much less likely to litter on the trails.

6. It’s a Wrap

When hiking with the under two-years-old crowd, a good wrap or hiking backpack comes in handy. I love my Moby Wrap for my babies who are still little bobble heads. With my young baby contentedly snuggled to my chest, my hands are free to help my older children. As my babies get older, we transition them to a hiking backpack that my husband typically carries. Our Sherpani hiking carrier has great storage and a sunshade for the babe – we love it! The biggest advantage of the Moby Wrap, hydration pack, and hiking carrier is that they are all hands-free making it much easier to hold other little hands on the trail when they need help.

I hope these tips have been helpful! See you on the trails this summer! Some of our favorite trails to do as a family include:

Idaho

Mesa Falls & Harriman State Park

Utah

Grotto Trail by Nebo Scenic Loop

Bridal Veil Falls and the Provo River Trail

Battle Creek Falls in Pleasant Grove

Bonneville Shoreline Trail

Cascade Springs on the Alpine Loop

This post includes Amazon.com affiliate links.

What are your favorite hikes with your kids?

The post Tips for Hiking with Children appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Tip #1

With three under the age of five, I don’t have a whole lot of help in the packing department (although they are excellent unpackers!).

The post Packing tips for traveling with children appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.